Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-12-28
MARRIED IN HASTE.
a Girls Narrow Escape From Be-
ing Disinherited.

The night before my wodding-dayl
Was over night so full IF hours-were
everhours so full Of dreary minutes,
that seemed 10 crawl after each other
through It's dead. cold gloomP
Yet il was. by my own consent. to
be my wedding-day tomorrow l had
said Il; had not only said il, but had
said | should never repent.
As the early dawn breaks through
the gloom Of night hear the old cock
in the farm-yard give n dismal boot,
preparatory 10 his first crow to the new
day.
And, utterly tired out, drop asleep.
One two three - fOur-five six
seven-cight beats ~ the tall oh clock
on the stairhead outside my door and
jump wildly 10 my feet.
AT nine O'Clock. them" he had said.
had only one hour-only one hour
10 be- Noruh Glennie.
AZ che time that clock struck ten
should be Norah Mapleson-a wife, n
true wife to n true husband.
lrcarrango my dress with feverish
haste.
only stop to drink a cup of milk ere
i leave tile house. only just in time to
catch the train as /; passes our country
station.
am In time.
Once more my hands are clasped in
his
We say no word; only hurry through
the sleepy streets ill we enter the dingy
Office where, by some strange method.
we arc made man and wife. All is n
dream tO me.
wonder vaguely where are my
bridesmaids, whore are are my father
and mothcrP Bah! why Of course they
are dead long, long ago. | have only
my old uncle, and he is lying bedridden
ut Norlington Farm.
How could he be here? The only
thing that seems real to me is the shin
ing ring on my finger.
look at il in kind Of fear MS | draw
my old kid glove over it before leaving
the house into which Norah Glennie
had gone few minutes ago. and out
Of which now u white. startled woman
was issuing -Norah Mapleson.
Don't be so distressed. my darlingl
Don't look so or can not bear it!''
draw deep breath; / stretch out
my hand a little wildly. suppose. for
he takes II firmly in his and LAYS it on
his arm rs he hurries me through the
streets back again in the direction of
the railway station.
Once more we are in the train.
"Mino- mine forever! do not fear
the future now" is all my husband
says; but there is world of love in his
eyes.
Poor William! In n weeks time he
will be ON the ocean and we will have
parted for many months-perhaps
years.
He lets me rest quietly In his arms
during the very short Journey back
again 10 Norlington. ! ret out of the
train alone, as he is going on some
business two stations further on; then
he will come back for the rest of the
week 20 the farm.
Before You go into his room, wife,
darling. you will take II oGp"-and he
touches nay finger. on which the bright
new wedding ring glitters.
IL can notr' say. shuddering. cit
is unlucky 10 remove wedding ring!r
"But, my darling. his sharp ewes
wilr"l-
The train goes on. aud am alone.
j see his face look at me from the win
dow alarmed and anxious; bit I nod
reassuringly and he smiles.
10 causes no remark that havf been
out so early this morning. for every.
thing lately j.. 80 upset by reason Of nv
unc!c's Illness and Williams near de-
parture.
Then. again, there Is only old Betty
In the Kitchen; aud perhaps she Scarcely
knows | have been out; and II the
nurse who has been called i'm to attend
my uncle knows, she. doubtless. thinks
have been into town on some house,
hold errand.
About my ring. | must hide Il: but
can not take il Off hurry up into my
room. aud hurriedly turn over the con-
tents Of an old musty dressing-case
that iiad been my fathers. Where can
IL bcP That old garnet ring with the
queer pnder-groolc in il that feel sure
will let this thin wedding ring slip into
It and so keep my secret from prying
eyes.
All! with hot, trembling fingers find
It, Il does exactly rs I thought il
would do.
With that broad Old ring always on,
need fear no discovery. None but my
self would know that under il Law
another. the tiny ciro,et Of gold bind
Ing me stronger than iron bands could
do 10 my ''dcar love-
Daring. the day my old uncle is taken
much worse and he win let no one b,
near him but me. William comes il
and ont Of the room, but I am tied tc
Il nearly all tho day. till towards even.
ing my uncle falls into deep sleeT
and l can safely leave him with hi.
nurse. Il was rambling old house
N0rlipglon Farm. and II had been my
only home now for nearly seven years
an " which time William MaPlesor